Matthew Youlden speaks nine languages fluently and understands more than a dozen more. In fact, for the longest time I didn’t even know he was British. When I told Matthew how I’ve been struggling to merely pick up a second language, he had the following advice for me. If you believe that you can never become bilingual, take note!

　　马修·约登能流利说9门语言，还能听懂另外十几门!其实很长时间我都不知道他是英国人。我连学一门外语都觉得超吃力，后来他给我以下的要点。如果有和我一样觉得自己没天赋学得累的人，开始笔记吧!

　　1. KNOW WHY YOU’RE DOING IT

　　1.弄清学外语的目的

　　This might sound obvious, but if you don’t have a good reason to learn a language, you are less likely to stay motivated over the long-run. Wanting to impress English-speakers with your French is not a very good reason; wanting to get to know a French person in his or her own language is another matter entirely.

　　这听起来好像没什么，但如果没有好的理由，你就非常可能在这场长跑中掉队。为了炫技而想要学法语，这可不是啥好理由;而想学会法语去了解法国人，这就另当别论了。

　　2. DIVE IN

　　2.潜心修行

　　“I tend to want to absorb as much as possible right from the start. So if I learn something I really, really go for it and try to use it throughout the day. For me it’s about actually putting what you’re learning into practice – be that writing an email, speaking to yourself, listening to music, listening to the radio. Surrounding yourself, submerging yourself in the new language culture is extremely important.”

　　“从下决心学的那一刻，我就开始用全身心吸收。所以我一开始学习语言，就会一整天都使用它，比如写邮件、自言自语、听音乐等，把自己完全丢进那个语言文化环绕起来的环境里。这个非常重要的。”

　　“I always have at the back of my mind that it’s adapting your way of thinking to the way of thinking in that language.”

　　“我总是感觉，脑海里的思考都要转变成这种语言文化。”

　　3. FIND A PARTNER

　　3.找到你的小伙伴

　　Matthew learned several languages together with his twin brother Michael (they tackled their first foreign language, Greek, when they were only eight years old!). Matthew and Michael, or the Super Polyglot Bros. as I’d like to now refer to them, gained their superpowers from good-ol’, healthy sibling rivalry:“You have someone with whom you can speak, and that’s the idea behind learning a language.”

　　马修有好几种外语都是和他双胞胎兄弟迈克尔一起学的(他们8岁就学了希腊语)!我为什么要强调这对超级学霸兄弟，因为总觉得他们之间的良性竞争关系，对学习特别有帮助。

　　4. KEEP IT RELEVANT

　　4.学百遍不如用一遍

　　If you make conversation a goal from the beginning, you are less likely to get lost in textbooks.:“You’re learning a language to be able to use it. The creative side is really being able to put the language that you’re learning into a more useful, general, everyday setting – be that through writing songs, generally wanting to speak to people. You don’t necessarily have to go abroad; you can go to the Greek restaurant down the road and order in Greek.”

　　建议你一开始就把交流放进目标，这样就不会陷在教科书里了。“学语言的目标是为了使用它，最好是创造性地把它融进日常生活中。可以是写歌词、挖掘和人说话的渴望。你甚至不必一定去国外，比如学希腊语就只要找到当地的希腊餐馆，用希腊语点单。”

　　5. HAVE FUN WITH IT

　　5.游戏学习

　　Using your new language in any way is a creative act. The Super Polyglot Bros. practiced their Greek by writing and recording songs. Think of some fun ways to practice your new language: make a radio play with a friend, draw a comic strip, write a poem, or simply talk to whomever you can. If you can’t find a way to have fun with the new language, chances are you aren’t following step four.

　　用各种方式学外语本身是个非常有创意的事，这对学霸兄弟学外语时会用它来写歌和录歌。想个适合你自己的有趣的方式：和朋友一起做个广播剧、画连环画、写诗歌，或者和任何一个你能沟通的人聊天!你要是觉得找不到适合你的，那也许你没有按第4条做。

　　6. ACT LIKE A CHILD

　　6.像小孩一样去学

　　The key to learning as quickly as a child may be to simply take on certain childlike attitudes: for instance, lack of self-consciousness, a desire to play in the language and willingness to make mistakes. New research cannot find a direct link between age and the ability to learn. As kids, we are expected to make mistakes, but as adults mistakesbecome taboo. When it comes to learning a language, admitting that you don’t know everything (and being okay with that) is the key to growth and freedom. Let go of your grown-up inhibitions!

　　快速学习语言的诀窍，是要有小孩一样的态度：即时、无知、爱玩、犯错。没有研究能证明学习能力和年纪的直接关系，但小孩子愿意犯错，成年人却包袱太重，怕犯错怕笑话!当你要学好一门语言，就要承认和接受自己如孩子般无知，这是获得成长和自由的关键点。所以，让顾忌和做作去死吧!